Week 19 Schedule & Update

Our last week of the year is just around the corner and I couldn't be happier with all my students have accomplished.  I'm looking forward to an amazing 2013 school year!

Our schedule is listed below.  Please note that Persuasive Santa Letters are coming home Tuesday.  I am asking all Parents/Guardians to read the letter and score the attached rubric.  You are definitely not expected to buy what your child requests, but I do want your feedback on their mastery of persuasion.  This is a fun way to teach a big concept that the students will continue to practice throughout their lives. Please make sure you send back the letter and completed rubric with you student on Wednesday, December 19th.

I've been blown away by the Personal Narratives I have read so far that students completed this week.  We have some very talented writers.  I've been particularly touched by students who chose to write about their personal tragedies or challenges.  I'll get Narratives back as soon as I can.  Because of the length and nature of the writing, they are taking a little longer to grade.  Some will be returned next week and I'll grade the rest over the holiday break.  

Please note that there will not be Utah in the News this week.

Midterm reports need to be signed and returned by Monday, December 17th.

Our Core Standards call for students to engage in many speaking and listening activities.  So, from Wednesday-Friday, students who chose can share their Personal Narratives or their Persuasive Santa Letters.  Bonus effort points will be given but it is not a requirement.  Writing is meant to be shared and many students are very excited to share theirs. It's certainly going to be a fantastic week!

Please encourage your student to hand in all their work so they won't have to worry about school work over the holiday break.  Additionally, no reading is required over the break, BUT, for those students who do chose to read, I'll be giving Bonus Effort points & Robins Rewards Tickets for anyone who reads and documents it.

For my family, Christmas is a time to enjoy the company of the ones we love, celebrate our religious traditions and; most importantly, serve others and remember our many blessings.  I am grateful for the incredible students I am lucky enough to teach and I appreciate the outpouring of support I receive from parents & guardians.

Have a wonderful holiday season!!

Monday,Dec. 17 *Calendar for week/reading check for Wk. 18 *Peer Edit: Santa Persuasion Letters

Tuesday,Dec. 18 *Finish Final Copy of Santa Persuasion Letter Take Letter Home to Parents/    Guardians to grade.

Wednesday,Dec. 19 *Open-Mic:  Narratives and/or Santa Letters *Library Day PERSUASIVE LETTERS DUE! AM/PM Reading Club

Thursday,Dec. 20 *Open Mic: Narratives and/or Santa Letters Shortened Class Periods:                            School Talent Show!

Friday, Dec. 21 * Random-Student-of-the-Week CHRISTMAS PARTY! No Utah-in-the-News This Week.

Week 18 Update and Schedule

Whew!  It's been a busy week with Personal Narrative writing, Book Reports & STAR Testing but I am very pleased at how students are working hard and giving 100% to do their best.

Some important information to take note of:

• Book Orders are due (online) by December 10th.  See the previous post.  It's easy, just click the link and go directly to Scholastic.  You will receive a voucher for a free book for placing an order.
• The Personal Narrative Packet is DUE on December 12th.
• Note the next unit is a Persuasive Letter written to Santa which will be graded by parents, no worries, it's easy and fun.  More information to come.
• Please keep checking PowerSchool.  Despite my effort to be 100% accurate, I'm human and make mistakes.  I'm happy to change anything as soon as possible that is incorrect.
• STAR Reading Scores should be on PowerSchool-most students improved in their reading!
• I know it's the time of the year when students can be sick or out-of-town so please keep on top of their work and let me know how I can assist.
• I am always available before or after school to assist or help students.

Here is the schedule for this week, it's going to be a fun one!

Monday, Dec. 10

*Calendar for week/reading check for Wk. 17

*Peer Editing: Draft #3

DRAFT #3 DUE

BOOK ORDERS DUE

Tuesday, Dec. 11

*Revision Day: Turn Draft 

#3 into Final Copy

Wednesday, Dec. 12

PERSONAL NARRATIVE PACKET DUE!

*Introduce Persuasive Santa Letter Assignment

*Library Day

AM/PM Reading Club

Thursday, Dec. 13

*Outline Persuasive Letter

*Begin Rough Draft

Friday, Dec. 14

* Random-Student-of-the-Week

*Utah-in-the-News

*Finish Rough Draft

Common Core: Why It Matters

Common Core Standards
We live in a state which has adopted the Common Core.  As a parent myself, I like to know what my children are being taught in school and why. I just wanted to make sure you know that what we are doing is specifically meeting those standards.  I really like the Common Core, it logically makes sense to me, allows me to have a lot of freedom in HOW I teach and I get to infuse my students with knowledge and skills they can use the rest of their lives.  Here is what has been covered recently:


Personal Narrative Unit: Writing Standards 7.3

3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a
narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.


7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

7.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed



Persuasive Santa Letter: Writing Standards 7.1
*This unit is preparing students to do a larger research-based argumentative project in January.

1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible
sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented


7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

7.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed



Utah-in-the-News: Writing Standards 7.2
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information
through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
c. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.


7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

7.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed


*Each of the above also cover items in Speaking & Listening (7.1-7.6)
For a full listing of all Core Standards upon which our curriculum is based, see www.corestandards.org

Utah-in-the-News to Present December 14th

This is a once-a-trimester activity to help students learn how to navigate informational text, summarize and practice writing paragraphs.  Make sure your students fills out the entire form according to directions and bring in the article with form.  They can present anytime in the week for Robins' Rewards & bonus points.

1st Period: Kelsey Dangerfield, Wyatt Hansen, Chase Morgan
2nd Period: Tyler Hardy, Alex Tholen, Jaden Lastowski, Sopie Jurgensmeir
3rd Period: *Jared Martinez, *Harley Strong, Daniel Barlow, Adrianna Lees, Tyler Olmstead
5th Period: *Kyson Montgomery, Andy Day, Zack Hunt, Allie Parr
6th Period: **Tristin Mower, Lea Larkin, Emily Bonzo, Mercedes Augilar, Sydney Swan, Lupe Baca, Justin Hofheins

  *Unprepared last week-will need to present 2 news stories next week.

** Unprepared for 2 weeks-will need to present 3 news stories next week.

• Remember, you can present early for an extra entry into the Monthly Robins Raffle.
• If you are unprepared or miss your day, you will lose 10 points automatically so please come prepared.  You will also be required to do a second Utah-in-the-News and an email will be sent home. If you will be gone on Friday, you need to make arrangements with me, ahead of time, to present another day.
• Remember to fill out the form completely and cut or print out your article and attach it to the form.

Utah-in-the-New for DECEMBER 7TH

The following students need to be prepared to present Utah-in-the-News on December 7th.  They must read an article, print out that article (or clip from newspaper), staple it to the back of the Utah-in-the-News form, fill out the form and present in front of the class.

If students are NOT prepared on their week, I will send an email to parents and that student must present an additional Utah-in-the-News the next week to get full points.  Effort points will be taken away for late work. I'm trying to instill in the students a sense of responsibility.  Learning to be on time is a valuable life lesson.

Remember, this assignment is only required ONCE a trimester, so please encourage your students to buckle down and do the assignment correctly the FIRST time.

1st:  Brendan Clarke, Cricket Gibb, Alex Kennedy
2nd: Nick Avila, Tyler Hardy, Madi Thiel
3rd: Matt Kitchen ** , Jared Martinez, Harley Strong, Tanner Ward
5th:  Alliyah Tracey *, Kyson Montgomery, Adan Audelo, Braden Baker
6th:  Meadow Alldredge *, Tristin Mower *, Mercedes Augilar, Lea Larkin, Parker Webb, Emily Bonzo

* = unprepared for one week, do 2 Utah-in-the-News this week.
** = unprepared for two weeks, do 3 Utah-in-the-News this week.

Scholastic Book Order: Last Order Date This Year!

A big thank you to those of you who order from Scholastic. Each time a parent orders online, our class receives a free book for our library, which is pretty cool!  Scholastic has extended their "Buy A Book Online/Get a Free $5 Book" until March, so, if you are interested, please take advantage of this opportunity.

Our last order date this year will be DECEMBER 10TH.  Scholastic guarantees shipping before Christmas so please get your orders in.  If you are buying books as a gift for your student, shoot me an email and we can arrange pick-up at the school.

I've been browsing Scholastic Books for gifts for my own children and they have some really great books for fantastic prices and the shipping is FREE!!

As always, just click the link on the far left side of my blog and you can go directly into the site OR pay by check (made out to Scholastic) and send it to school with your student.

Enjoy!

Week 17 Schedule & Update

Week 17 will be a busy week!  Please carefully note the upcoming due dates and review the previous post for Personal Narrative Due Dates.  I'm so excited to see the students as they work on the process of writing about their own lives.  Some of their narratives will be really funny, others are writing about deeply personal events which will be powerful to read. 

For those who wish, there are publishing/contest opportunities with the personal narratives.  Please talk to me about them.

Book Reports are due on Wednesday, December 5th.   This date was on the Course Disclosure and the students have been reminded about this for quite some time.  I'm looking forward to some great reports.

Due to meetings I have to attend, the Reading Club will meet on THURSDAY morning and afternoon.  I'll be sure to remind students of this change in dates.

Also, please note school will be released at 11:15am on Monday.  This is a minimum school day where students only attend for a half-day to allow teachers to attend training.

Thank you for the ongoing support you give your students at home and in the classroom.  Have a wonderful week!

*Utah-in-the-News Students will be posted later today.

Week 17: December 3rd-December 7th

Monday, Dec. 3 *Calendar for week/reading check for Wk. 16 *Work on Personal Narrative MINIMUM SCHOOL DAY OUT @ 11:15am

Tuesday, Dec. 4 2ND DRAFT DUE TODAY! *Mini Lesson: Personification *Peer Editing

Wednesday, Dec. 5 BOOK REPORT DUE! *Work on Draft #3 *Library Day

Thursday, Dec. 6 *Mini Lesson: Alliteration & Plot Techniques *Work on Draft #3 AM/PM Reading Club

Friday, Dec. 7 * Random-Student-of-the-Week *Utah-in-the-News STAR READING TEST